NEMO, the Network of European Museum Organisations, will hold its next annual conference from 15-18 November 2018 in the European Capital of Culture Valletta, Malta. Approximately 150 participants, representatives from European national museum organisations, museum experts, and stakeholders from the European cultural and heritage sector will meet to discuss topics relevant to the European museums, to exchange expertise, to liaise and to network.

The conference will take place at MUZA, Malta’s new museum of art and a flagship project of the European Capital of Culture Valletta. The conference will serve to show outstanding initiatives that mainstream heritage outside the sector and into other policy areas. Different culture institutions that have created high relevance to non-heritage organisations, stakeholders and potential funders will be presented.

The European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018

This year’s conference shall take place in the framework of the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018 (EYCH2018). NEMO, being a proud member of the EYCH2018 stakeholders committee, sees it as its core task to use this event to promote the Year to the European museum sector and involve, support and activate the museums across Europe. Among the conference speakers will be Tibor Navracsics, the European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, opening the conference and welcoming European museums and their professionals in this important year for cultural heritage in Europe.

Conference focus: "Museums Out of the Box! The Crossover Impact of Museums"

Museums and their missions, responsibilities and their modes of engagement with communities are in a constant process of transformation in response to social and economic developments at local, national and global level. There is a need for museums to stay relevant and to be responsive to social and environmental issues such as migration, research and innovation. Relating to different sectors, getting out of the box, and creating an added value to them through the museum work, is happening at every level and with the most diverse sectors already. Museums need to show their impact though – how can we do that?

Within the conference, NEMO wants to show how much museums already demonstrate impact and value within their local communities and with stakeholders at different levels, not the least to attract funding and ongoing support from public and private sectors. The discussion and examples shall promote an integrated, holistic and transversal approach to cultural heritage that will contribute to the 10 European Initiatives that the European Commission intends to implement in the frame of the EYCH2018. The aim of these initiatives is to ensure the Year's legacy beyond 2018 and to make a positive EU policy impact for heritage in the future.

Further information

For additional information, a preliminary programme and registration to the NEMO 26th Annual Conference, please visit http://www.ne-mo.org/our-actions/nemo-events/nemo-annual-conference.html